Read The Orphans Series Vol. 1: The Orphans for Free Online Page B

playfully.             
    Frank smiled bigger at the touch. "I work in the research and development department. We're always trying to do something new for the company. And if I have to call you Karen, you need to call me Frank."
                  Karen read Frank's signs loud and clear. "Well, Frank, what are the chances of us meeting up for coffee later? You said you still had some work to do.... I'm going back myself after I drop Ellie off."                           
                  "I think your chances are pretty good. I'm in the west wing, lab 562. I'm almost always there, so I'm due for a break, right?"
                  Karen pulled out a notebook from her purse. She pulled a pen out of Frank's shirt making him suck in a deep breath sending chills down his spine. "Well when you're ready for that cup of joe, you call me at one of these numbers, Frank."
                  Frank smiled looking down at his feet and then back up. "You'll be hearing from me soon, Karen...."
    ****
                                Shaun and Ellie walked through the empty school halls enjoying their freedom. Shaun was contemplating the role of a dad in a teenager's life and was sure they were put on Earth to make a kid's life hell. He couldn't just continue to be a mediocre workaholic dad who was never around. No, he also had to be trying to make the girl he was crushing on his new stepsister. "I'll meet you back in a few minutes, Ellie. I just need to grab a couple books and journals from my locker."
                  Ellie smiled. She knew he kept a journal, and thought it was romantic in a way that he kept track of his thoughts and wasn't afraid to put them down on paper. She was thinking about starting one herself and was giving some thought about maybe how Greg Thompson would get a few pages devoted to it. She hurried with her stuff knowing her mom would be waiting and came up quickly behind Shaun at his locker. "What other kind of trouble do you think we could get into in an empty school?"
                  Shaun just looked around, up and down, and side to side. "If we get our parents called back to school anytime soon my dad would decapitate me. I wish I was kidding."
                  "Well, I guess we'd better get back to our parents. God knows what trouble they're getting themselves into!"
                  Shaun rolled his eyes imagining the things his dad was doing and hoped--no, prayed--that maybe his dad would let this one pass. Of course, only time could tell. They went back to the office, where Shaun saw his dad still leaning in on Ellie's mother, and, to make matters worse, he'd bet money his dad was currently pushing a pink piece of paper in to his khaki pants pocket.
                  Frank saw them approaching and backed up a foot. He looked as if they were caught with their hands in a cookie jar. They both smiled at each other and as the teens approached. "Well, hey! It was great getting to meet you, Karen, and what a wonderful circumstance to do so in."
                  Karen looked taken back for a second.
                  Frank realized his wit went completely unnoticed. "I was being ironic. Sorry ... not a strong suit."
                  Shaun snorted and laughed as he walked back down the hall. He called over his shoulder. "It was nice meeting you Ms. Randall! Ellie, text me later!"
                  Frank jogged to catch up to him. "So, do you know anything about Ellie's mom?"
                  "Well, I know if you decide to date her, my overall feeling about you might reach new levels."             
                  Frank grabbed Shaun and spun him by the shoulders to stare down at him. "Really, Shaun? You know, maybe when you're older you might realize I didn't plan for life to turn out like